


The Good, The Bad and The Bellamy

by PwoperNinjaElf



Category: Muse
Genre: Alternate Universe, Belldom - Freeform, Captivity, M/M, Rape/Non-con References, Smut, Violence, Western
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-01
Updated: 2014-11-25
Packaged: 2017-12-13 15:23:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/825852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PwoperNinjaElf/pseuds/PwoperNinjaElf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After one of the most wanted bandits in the Wild West kills his brother, Dominic Howard is out for revenge and is determined to rid the good West of the merciless madman that is Matt Bellamy...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another WIP, but I've done a couple chapters and may post it on LJ in the future soon (but I've got a bit of writer's block on this at the moment though), but I'd just like to test it out on all of you as this fic is a wee bit different from my usual scene... Hope y'all like it! (My appologies for the cheesy name).

"Please, take whatever you want, just don't hurt us, please. I beg of you don't-"  
  
"Sorry, is it just me, or is this scum telling me what to do?" The leader of the bandits asked his men, looking down at the man kneeling before him.  
  
"I do believe he is," Thomas, one of his oldest companions, agreed, his dark eyes glinting with what he just knew would follow.  
  
"Yes, we can't have that now, can we..." the leader said, his tongue darting out to lick along his bottom lip.  
  
"Please, please, Sir, have mercy. I meant you no disrespect. All I ask is that you spare our lives," the terrified man pleaded, braving a glance at those ice-cold, blue eyes.  
  
"'Mercy', mercy you ask? Do I really look the sort to have such a pathetic trait in me?" the bandit asked and spat at the ground, just in front of where the- now trembling- man was knelt.  
  
"You most certainly do not!" Tom affirmed, his fingers twitching with anticipation.  
  
"Matt, we have all the loot saddled up!" Christopher, the ringleader's other most trusted follower, called from where he was stood with most of the other men and the horses.  
  
"See, you have what you want! Now leave us be!!" A woman, no doubt the wife of the man in front of him, called out suddenly from where she was tied up with the rest of the travellers.  
  
"No, Mary, be silent!" the man begged of her, but it was too late. She'd already done enough.  
  
The gang leader's thin lips curled into a cruel smile. "What is this now, woman? Are you also trying to tell us- tell _me_ \- what to do?"  
  
"Please, forgive her, she doesn't know what she says!" the man tried, but the bandit just put the soul of his boot to his chest and kicked him over.  
  
"How dare you! We have done nothing to you, yet here you come and abuse us and take from us what is not yours!" she yelled again, now filled by the rage which had been building since their wagon had been ambushed by the gang.  
  
"Mary! For the love of God, be silent!!"  
  
But she ignored her husband's desperate pleas, and the similar looks coming from the rest of their travel party. She just puffed up her chest proudly and looked at the rude young man in front of her. "Who do you even think you are?!"  
  
The other travellers all gasped in despair and looked on helplessly with wide, frightened eyes, but the man merely smiled some more and stepped over the fallen husband to walk over to the woman.  
  
"You have quite the tongue on you, don't you, old woman?" he asked, crouching down to be eye level with her.  
  
"'Old woman'! How very dare you!" she shouted, the proud woman not used to such insolence.  
  
"Well that is what you are, is it not? Or would you prefer I called you bitch? That would work too," he said, his smile only stretching as he continuously hit the mark on her short temper.  
  
The enraged woman spat at him, so disgusted was she by his proximity and nerve.  
  
"MARY!!" her husband yelled, helpless. The young ringleader's men all reached for their holsters, ready for his very command, all focus on the offending woman, the other travellers gasping and cowering with shock and horror. All just waiting for the man's reaction.  
  
He just laughed loudly though and stood up, brushing off her saliva from his shirt.  
  
"Bitch it is. You have made quite the mistake, I'm afraid."  
  
The woman, only now finding her sense again, gulped and looked up into his ice-like gaze. There was no feeling or ounce of mercy to be found. No humanity whatsoever.  
  
"I-I-I, I am so sorry, please, please just-"  
  
"Ah, so now she knows her place?" he asked with a cruel laugh, his men joining in. "Well, I'm afraid it's too late. I don't do second chances," and with that he pulled out his pistol and held it up to her forehead. Tears began to flow from her eyes, she was too scared to beg and plead, the others all whimpered and looked away, unable to bare watching.  
  
"Please, forgive her!" the husband cried out, making the man spin on his heel and look down at him once more.  
  
"Oh would you just shut up already?!" And with that the pistol barrel moved from wife to husband, before going off with a loud bang. The husband's body fell still and the rest of his party began to scream, a red pool forming around his body.  
  
"Any other pleas for this bitch?"  
  
The others all looked away from the miserably sobbing woman.  
  
"Thought so," came his reply, as he turned to face her again. "And to answer your earlier question," he began, the barrel now returning to the front of her forehead again. "I'm Matt Bellamy, one of the most wanted men in all of the west. And, if I'm modest, the best of the worst."  
  
His men all cheered and hollered, their prisoners going even more pale with fear.  
  
"Not that you need to worry any longer though, as names and titles don't count where you're going," he said and cocked his gun again.  
  
"Oh, please, please, pleasepleaseplease!!!!" She was screaming now, tears wracking through her body.  
  
"Tisk, tisk, tisk. I do wish you would stop crying," he said and brushed along her cheek with the barrel of the gun.  
  
"Oh, please...please..."  
  
"Oh, just shoot the bitch already!" Thomas yelled impatiently.  
  
"Tom's right, Matt, please, can we just fucking go already?!" Christopher agreed.  
  
"Fine, fine, fine. You lot always spoil the fun though," he said and without a moment's hesitation, aimed and pulled the trigger, sending the previously kneeling woman into a pile of splayed limbs and clothes on the floor.  
  
"You lot," he then commanded his men. "Take care of the rest."  
  
And with that he blew his still smoking gun and, returning it to its holster, went to mount his horse.  
  
"You heard the man: kill 'em all!" Tom yelled, rallying up his fellow tradesmen.


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm afraid he's gone and struck again; this time a small trading party 50 miles west of Landlow," Dominic overheard Sheriff Anderson saying to his deputy, as he came into the Sheriff's office to collect his reward.  
  
"Oh, I heard, all nine dead," Deputy Nicholls said nodding his head. They'd all heard the news, it had been spreading like wildfire across all the surrounding towns. They'd all heard. Everyone that is, except for Dominic Howard himself. He'd been out rounding up his most recent bounty hunt; a small-time cow thief, who'd also been wanted for two accounts of assault and battery, when the latest news had struck.  
  
"Who's this then?" he asked the two men, hanging his hat on the hat stand.  
  
"Why only Matty Bells- good ol' Hells-Bells, Mad Matt himself," the deputy replied, offering Dominic his chair.  
  
"'Matty Bells'? 'Hells-Bells'? 'Mad Matt'?" Dominic asked, accepting the seat.  
  
"Surely you know who we mean, Howard?" the Sheriff asked, while the deputy walked over to the wall of wanted posters and pointed at the one in the middle of the very top row. The most wanted row.  
  
"'Matthew James Bellamy'," Dominic read the name underneath the picture. "Sounds familiar..."  
  
"Oh, Howard, you see this is what happens when you're always out riding and never in town; he's become the most wanted man this side of Salt Lake City!" the sheriff scoffed.  
  
"Huh...well he's been pretty busy then 'cause I've only been gone from around these parts for a month or so," Dominic replied. Gregory Clark, his latest round up, had been a very illusive bastard and Dom had only popped into gather supplies at the towns along the way, never staying for a chat.  
  
"You can say that again, he's been around for awhile now though, his crimes just escalating in daring and violence...he's sent all the men who've gone after him to their fates..." the deputy said looking up at the man in question's picture.  
  
"Huh, well you know me, I'll just be sticking with what I usually do- I'll leave him to the experts!" Dominic laughed, shaking his head. He definitely remembered a couple stories now about the guy. He was definitely one to stay clear of.  
  
Dominic had been a bounty hunter for awhile now, ever since his father had died, leaving the old family farm along with its burdens to his wife and sons. The times had been tough and they'd needed an extra source of income, but there hadn't been any work in town for Dominic, that is until one night their farm had been robbed. Dominic had heard the commotion and had decided to check it out, rifle in hand, to find the culprit of the noise. He'd been surprised with the sight of two men trying to steal a few of their cows- cows they couldn't afford to have stolen.  
  
He'd acted on pure instinct, thinking only of his family, and managed to catch the men off guard. He hadn't thought he had it in him- hell no one had- but he'd done it. Before that night he'd never killed anyone, and to have done it sent him into all sorts of turmoil. But it had then also turned out that the two were wanted on many accounts of cattle theft, and as reward for...putting them out of business, Dominic had earned his family quite a nice bit of cash.  
  
He'd felt awful, but his family had desperately needed the money. The sheriff's department had also been very impressed and had offered him a job as a bounty hunter, to help catch and round up criminals for reward money. It had sounded simple enough and his family desperately needed the financing, but the guilt of what he'd done still lingered...  
  
So to compromise he'd made a deal with himself; he'd do it, to help his family, but he would only go for the smaller cases and under no circumstances would he kill his targets. Sure, he knew most he brought in would be destined straight for the gallows, but that wasn't of his concern- he wasn't the one who had to get his hands dirty...  
  
"And why's that, Howard?" the sheriff asked. "You're one of our very best, you've never lost a man...you've even brought them all in alive- a skill that would be most useful in this case..."  
  
"I am not!" the modest bounty hunter blushed. "And why is it so important that he come in alive anyway?"  
  
"Well, for one the reward money'll be greater, and secondly, the courts are dying to make an example out of him to all the other would-be bandits- and what better way then to have a large court case and public hanging?"  
  
"Wow, I guess... But you know my rules, I don't do big fish." And that was it, he knew they wouldn't press him, everyone that knew Dominic Howard knew he always stuck to his word and was as stubborn as a mule. "So anyway, I came in to collect my reward for bringing in Clark; I already handed him over to your men."  
  
"There's a man!" Deputy Nicholls smiled and went over to the safe to fetch the man's reward.  
  
"Well done, as usual. Though I must ask that you will at least just think about considering gunning for Mad Matt," the sheriff couldn't help adding. "You could really be our one hope..."  
  
"Sorry, but you know me, I'm gonna have to stick to my rules." With that Dominic accepted his money and, with one last look at the wanted poster; the man pictured glaring forth with one of the most stunningly frightening stares, Dom left, a little shudder running down his spine. Definitely one to avoid.

 

                                                                                                                          ***

  
"Dominic, you're home!" his mother cried out with joy upon his arrival. "What have you been eating dear boy? You're as thin as death!"  
  
"Mother, I am not too thin, I'm perfectly fine," he said giving the old woman a strong hug. "How have you all been in my absence?" Looking around the, now barely furnished, old farm house though, he saw all the answer he needed. "Where has all the furniture gone?" he asked when he heard no reply from her.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about, we just needed a little money. You know how it is, you're gone for so long and with the little one needing so much attention and the poor harvest..."  
  
But before Dominic could express his concerns further his eldest brother, William, and his wife, carrying their baby son, came in to greet their returned loved one.  
  
"Dominic! It is so good to see you, brother!" William laughed, embracing his younger brother.  
  
"How was your adventure this time?" Charlotte asked, handing over little Luke to Dominic's outstretched arms.  
  
"It was okay, took a lot longer then I'd have hoped, too long I see now: looking around," he answered, letting the baby play with his Barlow Bolo tie.  
  
"It's fine, you mustn't worry so. Not over us, we are doing fine, my boy," his mother said, going over to the kitchen to boil some water to make some tea.  
  
"But how can I not, when I return home to find there is naught but a few chairs where there once was a whole sitting room! I can't help but fret and worry!"  
  
"Dominic, don't, it's fine. Benjamin has found work, hence he is currently absent, he should be back from Landlow in a day or so though," William pointed out, snaking an arm around Charlotte's waist.  
  
"Landlow you say?" Dominic wondered why the name seemed to suddenly spark something in him. "Doing what pray tell?"  
  
"He went to help build a few houses, last we heard he sent a letter to tell us he'd found a group travelling back here that were nice enough to let him travel with them. He'll be home soon and hopefully with a decent bit more money," he replied, Charlotte leaning her head on his shoulder.  
  
"You see, Dominic, our luck's about to change," Charlotte smiled.  
  
They were all smiling now, except for Dominic who couldn't shake the funny feeling that had suddenly crept up on him.

  
                                                                                                                              ***

  
A few days went by, which turned into a week, and yet Benjamin Howard had yet to return.  
  
The family was really beginning to worry, when William got called into town. They all held their breath, hoping and fearing for what the news might be, but when the eldest Howard son returned it was with a heavy heart.  
  
"So wait, let me get this straight; he was in this travelling party, the travelling party that was attacked by Mad Matt and his men?!" Dominic couldn't believe it, what were the chances?  
  
"Yes, that's what they said, it just took awhile for them, f-for them to, to identify the bodies as they weren't sure where all the travellers had come from..." Dominic had never seen his brother cry, but 24 years was quickly broken, William finally joining the two women in their heartbroken sobs.  
  
The worst though was his mother. He'd remembered what she'd been like when their father had passed, but now to lose one of her sons, one of her 'babies'...  
  
Something in Dominic had snapped, he grabbed his hat and headed straight out to ride his horse into town, not saying a word of leave to his broken family, just determined to ride until he reached the sheriff's.  
  
When he finally got there, he stormed through the door, shocking both the sheriff and deputy from their evening game of cards, and strode straight up to the wall of wanted posters.  
  
"I'll make you pay you fucking son of a gun!" he yelled ripping off the poster of the man with ice-cold looking eyes. "You'll rue the fucking day you messed with my family!!"  
  
"So does this mean he's finally stepping up his game?" the deputy whispered to the sheriff, both still watching the spectacle.  
  
"I do believe it does..."


	3. Chapter 3

"Isn't that a little too daring? It'll also be way too obvious..." Christopher said, trying in vain to talk some sense into Matthew.  
  
"That's exactly why we've gotta do it! It's so expected that it's unexpected!!" His voice had taken on that manic edge it always got when he got excited.  
  
"The risks are so great though," one of the other men pointed out.  
  
"Shut the fuck up, who was even asking you?!" Matthew yelled at the soon cowering man. "And anyway that just means the rewards will be that much greater!"  
  
"I'm up for it!" Thomas cheered, only adding to their leader's excitement.  
  
"That's my man, now Chris, why can't you and the rest of these worthless bastards have the same attitude?!"  
  
There was some objection from the men that were up for it too, while the others kept quiet for fear of how he'd react.  
  
Christopher on the other hand was less frightened, "Because, Matt, some of us actually have families to worry about." Matthew flinched. Christopher knew it had been a low blow, but he had to point out his fears too. "And we need to be able to return to them..."  
  
"FINE! Then don't come- I'm off to go rob me a train, and if the rest of you miserable gits aren't pussies you'll join me!!"  
  
"Matt, you know-" Christopher tried, worried about his friend's ever growing recklessness.  
  
"Fuck off, Chris, you can either come or stay, it's your choice," Matthew said cutting him off with a shrug. "As for you lot, you have no fucking choice; either you come and join in with the spoils, or you'll get left out here in the wilderness for the snakes and hawks!"  
  
There were no more objections from the group that hadn't wanted to join. The others just cheered.  
  
"Fine, I do believe it's settled, Matt," Thomas grinned at his old friend and leader.  
  
"Good. We set off at dawn."  
  
  
                                                                                                                             ***

  
Dominic sat staring out the train's dusty window.  
  
Waiting and watching.  
  
He knew this was a long shot, but from what he'd managed to learn about Mad Matt, this seemed right up his alley. Especially with the way his crimes had been escalating; what better way to take it up a notch then to ransack a train transporting gold from San Francisco, that stopped off at Landlow (the last place he'd been spotted and where Dominic had caught the train) to Salt Lake City itself?  
  
He'd been travelling for awhile now, the wanted poster he still had of his man sitting in his lap, so he could be reminded of his purpose.  
  
Matthew James Bellamy, as it read, looked to be a young man, no older- if not younger- than Dominic himself. He had dark hair, with a few strands that hung in his face, framing those startling eyes. Even in the black and white picture he could make out that they must be beautiful. Terrifying and almost dead, they appeared so cold, but strikingly beautiful none the less.  
  
It was while he was staring down and studying him, for only about the hundredth time that day, that he heard a blast, followed by the first shot.  
  
More gunshots quickly followed and the train came to a screeching halt, its passengers breaking out in panic. Dominic felt oddly calm though, looking out to see that they were being quickly surrounded by men on horses, men all brandishing guns. The train's halted state allowing them all to catch up.  
  
His time was coming, he knew it. He calmly stood up, ignoring the screaming passengers desperately running around like headless chickens, and parted through them, pulling his gun out of its holster. He didn't like killing, but he had brilliant aim and had brought in many a man with well placed shots preventing them from escape. His sort of trade mark so to speak.  
  
It didn't take long for him to hear the voices of men storming the carriages and demanding things from the passengers. He merely cocked his gun and slunk into the next carriage.

  
                                                                                                                      ***

  
  
"I thought you said there'd be gold here!" Thomas complained to Matthew as they walked past the passengers they were holding up, both holding their guns at the ready, while some of their men took the jewellery and money off their hostages.  
  
"There is, you moron, Chris is dealing with that, he took some of the other men and they're at the right cargo carriages as we speak," Matthew said, stopping at a pretty young woman when they entered the next carriage. The small group of women inside all huddling together in fear of the two bandits.  
  
"Well, well, well, who do we have here," he sneered down at her.  
  
But she didn't respond, she only looked up at him with her big chocolate coloured eyes.  
  
"Hmm...you see Tom, this was worth it: money, jewellery, gold _aaand_ girls..." The two laughed, and Matthew leaned in up close to her.  
  
"I see what you mean, I knew this was the perfect plan, your best yet," Tom praised and walked over to the only other occupants of the carriage, the rest of the small group of women. He quickly helped himself to their spoils. "I can't remember the last time I got to have my way with a woman..."  
  
"Well, we didn't come here just to steal gold, my dear friend," Matt smiled, but had his gaze fixed on the now utterly terrified young woman in front of him.  
  
"Oh, I do like how you think," Tom laughed and grabbed hold of one of the women in front of him. The poor girl let out a shrill scream as he dragged her off to the luggage corner in the carriage, ready to properly enjoy his spoils.  
  
"Naturally," Matt replied, but by now he was using his free hand to undo the blouse of the woman in front of him. "Oh, do stop struggling," he growled, having to put his gun away so he could hold her in place properly.  
  
"Please, please don't!" she wailed, finally breaking her silence. The other girls all huddled up together closer, holding each other and weeping, while muffled sobs and cries could be heard from the baggage corner.  
  
"Oh so she speaks!," Matt laughed, one hand now sliding up her dress to push it up. When his other hand pulled open her blouse at last, she let out a loud, ear-shattering scream.  
  
"HELP!!! SOMEONE HELP!!!!"  
  
This only made him laugh more and, unlike Thomas, he chose not to muffle her, deciding rather to enjoy her desperate pleas as he took her.

                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                  ***

  
  
The screaming was growing more insistent as Dominic slowly managed to sneak past the bandits that were too distracted by claiming their spoils to notice him slip by. Then at last, jumping over to one of the carriages near the front he spotted him. Through the small dirty window of the carriage door he could make out his man.  
  
Matthew Bellamy, in the actual flesh, was stepping away from a sobbing, half dressed woman in torn clothes, as he fastened his belt.  
  
Dominic was horrified. No, outraged. Without a second's more thought, he burst through the door, screaming as threateningly as he could.  
  
"LEAVE HER ALONE!!!"  
  
Coal-black hair flipped back and ice-blue eyes looked up at him. Dominic stood his ground, gun at the ready, trying to look as intimidating as he could.But the blue eyes just lightened and a loud, surprisingly high-pitched, laugh filled the carriage.  
   
"Are you fucking kidding me, who's this we have here now then?" Matthew asked.  
  
"I'm Dominic Howard, and I'm taking you in!!" Dom tried, pointing his gun at the other man's face.  
  
But only more laughter followed.  
  
"Please, you don't look the sort who'd be able to kill a fly!" The taunt hit him hard. Not because the man was laughing, but because of the true reality of it and the reminder of how he already had the blood of two men on his hands.  
  
"Like shit, how would you know!" Dom yelled and shot just in front of Matthew's boots to prove he wasn't kidding.  
  
And like lightning, before he knew it, Matt had whipped out his own pistol and had it at the ready. Another man with dark hair also shot forward, as if from nowhere, with his own gun also pointed at Dominic.  
  
'Shit,' Dom thought, looking from one barrel of a gun to the next.  
  
"Haha, nice try, but if you wanna play with the big boys, you're gonna have to be a lot better than that," Matthew laughed, as Dom was forced to drop his gun in surrender. He only just managed to hold back a snide remark about 'big boys' comment. Getting a better look now of Matt, as he came closer to pick up Dominic's gun, the bounty hunter saw that he was a lot smaller than he'd expected. Dominic not being the tallest man around town, had a good couple inches on him. The other, darker, man also wasn't much taller either.  
  
But then what did any of it matter? They'd outdone him and now he was at their mercy.


	4. Chapter 4

'Well this was only slightly embarrassing,' Dominic had thought sarcastically when a group of scouts, sent to look for the missing train, finally found and rescued them.  
  
Dom had been tied up with the violated women and gagged with one of their pantyhose, much to their tormentors great amusement and reassurance that this was why they'd all been 'permitted' to live.  
  
Now he found himself wandering an unfamiliar town, too ashamed to return home not having managed to avenge his brother without so much as a hair to prove just how close he'd gotten.  
  
"Hey, you sir! I hear you're one of the few survivors from the train hold up yesterday!" a man called after him. Dominic turned round, to be greeted with a most pleasing sight. The man that had stopped him was tall and rugged with sandy coloured hair just visible beneath his hat and a kind smile.  
  
'Well hello there,' Dom thought waiting for the stranger to catch up to him.  
  
"I'm Harold Wagner, a local rancher, by the way," the stranger greeted, tipping off his hat in respect.  
  
"Um, nice to meet you, Harold. I'm Dominic Howard," he replied copying the sign of greeting and tipping his own cowboy hat. Dom didn't know why, or what this man had, but he instantly liked him. "Not so local and I guess you could call me a bounty hunter?"  
  
"Yes, that's what I heard, which is why I came to find you," Harold said, putting his hat back on.  
  
"Why's that now?" Dom asked, looking into the other man's deep-green eyes.  
  
"My sister, Connie, was on that train, she, uh, she was, uh, tied up with you in that carriage."  
  
"Oh," Dom replied, his eyes widening as he realised what that meant.  
  
"Um, yes. So I naturally assumed you were still going after them, right? 'Cause no one else in this town seems to have the balls to join me- I just can't let them- let _him_ \- get away with that." Anger flared in his emerald eyes, re-igniting the same in Dom's grey ones.  
  
"Of course I am, and I'd love to have you accompanying me, there are after all a lot of them...are you sure no one else could be convinced to join us?"  
  
"Thank you, and...well I'm sure if we had another look around we could find a few bitter or bored souls to join us."  
  
"Good. We can set off tomorrow morning, we can't afford to let anymore time pass," Dominic said, as he and his new comrade set off to find more followers.  
  
  
                                                                                                   ***  
  
  
"...and you should have seen him! I tell you, Matt's getting better and better as we go along! I was only onto my second when he'd had his way with the other three!" Thomas recounted over the big fire they'd made to cook their dinner on and chase away the cold.  
  
Matthew sighed and rolled his eyes, as he shovelled another spoonful of the tasteless, brothy stew into his mouth.  
  
It had been a few days now already since, but Tom loved marvelling over the story and the men loved hearing about their merciless leader; although terrified by him on all accounts, this still only seemed to increase their misplaced admiration for him.  
  
"...and you should've seen his face! He knew he'd been beat the second I laid eyes on him! We made quick work of him, Matt even stuffed his mouth with one of the women's ruined pantyhose! True class I tell you, true class!"  
  
At this Christopher turned to look at his friend and leader, the two of them seemingly the only ones who had no interest in hearing Tom's account yet again.  
  
"I still don't get why you didn't kill him though; he pulled a gun out on you, Lord knows you've killed a lot more for a lot less," Chris said, soft enough only for Matt to hear. Though he needn't have bothered, they were on the far outskirts of the cluster of men, and the others were too focused on Tom.  
  
Matt just shrugged. He'd thought about it, God had he, but with those big, grey eyes and shaggy, golden hair? It had seemed like such a waste.  
  
Though now he regretted not having done so, for no matter how hard he tried, the blonde seemed to haunt his every thought. He didn't even know the man's name!  
  
"Just didn't feel like it," was how Matt decided to reply. Chris just sighed, knowing he'd get no more out of him.  
  
  
                                                                                                     ***  
  
  
"There they are, I can actually make out their faces from here, thanks to the fire," one of the men Dominic and Harold had managed to recruit, observed from their vantage point.  
  
And they really could, both Dom and Harold could feel their hands tremble with anticipation.  
  
"They appear to be rather intoxicated too, this shouldn't be too hard," another added.  
  
"Well then, what're we waiting for? Let's go get 'em!" Dom called, before they all slithered into the night, to fulfil their purpose there.  
  
  
                                                                                                     ***  
  
  
Matthew and Christopher, returning from the call of nature- Matt still doing up his pants- to their campsite, both realised something was up the moment they arrived.  
  
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!!!" one of the men cried, running up to the two.  
  
"What, how?!" Chris demanded, looking around to realise they really were indeed under siege. Gun shots soon began to fill the once silent, clear evening.  
  
"Who gives a fuck how; it's now how the fuck are we gonna make them really pay!" Matt yelled, supremely pissed off. No one- NO ONE- snuck up on him.  
  
He pulled out his pistol, which he always had near at hand, and stormed forth.  
  
  
                                                                                                        ***  
  
  
It was madness! Dominic was ducking and diving from bullets as he weaved his way through the chaos, only one man in mind. Harold helped lead the way, barrelling past any would-be attackers as the two men sought out Bellamy.  
  
Both objected to killing, but unlike Dominic, Harold was more than prepared to do so.  
  
Sadly for him though, this turned out to be his downfall the second they finally found their target, amongst the screams and cries of men, the deafening cracks of guns being let off and the down right chaotic insanity that surrounded them, the night sky lit up by it all.  
  
He had the perfect shot too, Matthew was distracted by the man he was about to shoot, not noticing the other two men zoning in on him. But when Harold pulled the trigger, it was not his shot that rang out. It was Matt's gun as he shot his man.  
  
"Shit, I'm out," Harold cursed, checking that his gun really was spent.  
  
"Oh, that's such a pity, luckily I still have plenty," Matthew grinned, having long since spotted the would-be assassins, as he reloaded his pistol.  
  
"What are you waiting for Dominic?! _SHOOT_ him!!" Harold yelled to the frozen bounty hunter.  
  
"Yes, 'Dominic', what're you waiting for?" Matt asked, cocking his gun, as he stepped over the freshly slain man before him.  
  
But Dominic couldn't. No matter how hard his brain shouted at him, the thoughts of his brother and those women, all the reasons why he should do it, but he just- he just- couldn't...  
  
Those endless, blue eyes held him captive and the horror to have another man's blood on his hands was all too much.  
  
"Oh for fuck's sake! He's gonna kill us if you don't shoot!"  
  
"Don't even bother, Dominic- as you call him- here doesn't have it in him; so be a good little boy and put the gun down," Matthew coaxed, his voice impossibly slick and hypnotic.  
  
In his panic at the smaller man's approach, Harold tried to grab the gun from Dominic.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Matt warned, but when he saw Harold grasp the gun he just sighed. "As you wish."  
  
 _Bang. Thud._  
  
Dominic's eyes grew the size of dinner plates as he helplessly watched his new friend fall to the ground. He then had to quickly look away, unable to bare the sight of Harold's face down in the dirt, a small puddle of blood seeping into the soil from the bullet hole in his skull.  
  
"How could you?!" Dominic roared in horror, but Matthew just laughed.  
  
"He didn't listen."  
  
Dominic made to bend down and grab his gun, but was stopped by the other man's warning, "Ah-uh-ah, we wouldn't want you to end up like your little friend here, now would we?"  
  
He couldn't die now. His family still needed him. He was still young, he hadn't fully lived. He hadn't fully loved. And he hadn't exacted his revenge yet. He stopped his actions, and straightened up to look at who he fully now believed the devil incarnate to be.  
  
"That's it. Now put your hands on your head, Dom-ini _C_ ," Matthew said, emphasizing the "c" and making Dom's skin crawl. He didn't want to hear his name uttered from those cold, unloving lips, but he did what he was told.  
  
By now Matthew had reached him, the smaller man glancing down once more at his last victim. "Pity, rather a waste that one."  
  
"Shut up! Don't even talk about him!" Dominic spat, surprising them both with his sudden outburst.  
  
"Are you telling me what to do, blondie?" Matt spat right back. "No one tells me what to do. Luckily for you though, I actually recognise you..."  
  
Dom felt a hand on his shoulder and then something cold and hard against his back: the gun.  
  
He just swallowed back, fear rendering him speechless.  
  
"What do you say we get outta here?" Matthew asked, his breath brushing against Dom's neck. He could no longer see his assailant, and felt even more impossibly helpless.  
  
"Walk." That was it, one command and a hard shove of the barrel in his back, he was hardly in a position to object.  
  
So, reluctantly and somewhat shaky with fear, he walked forward, the gun still pressed to his back, showing him the way.


	5. Chapter 5

  
They finally came to a stop, a little way away from the campsite, where the sounds of gun shots and men screaming was lessening.  
  
"This should do the trick, what do you think, Dom-ini _C_?" They were near the creek and had stopped by a small alcove in some of the rocky terrain. "Usually I don't give a fuck, but I decided why not have some privacy for once, ey?" His hot breath left goose bumps along Dominic's neck in its wake.  
  
Dominic just stared down at the ground, the sound of his heart, furiously beating, was nearly deafening. He'd never been so scared and confused in all his life.  
  
What were they doing here? Was this where he was destined to dig his own grave and be shot?  
  
But the next words sent his heart into overdrive, as it pumped- now ice-cold- blood around his body.  
  
"Okay, now strip."  
  
Surely he'd heard him wrong, why would he want him to take his clothes off? Was he gonna keep them for himself? Or did that just make it easier for him to dispose of his body?  
  
Dominic looked back into those cold eyes. Frightened grey on vivid blue, which was darkening with something very foreign to Dominic.  
  
He then felt the gun dig hard into his back, "I said strip- are you retarded or something? Take your fucking clothes off! Unless you want me to do it for you?!"  
  
Dom instantly began to undo his belt, his hands trembling so much though, that he was painfully slow.  
  
"Oh for fuck's sake!" Matthew groaned and dropped his gun, spinning Dom round, so that he could help strip his shirt off.  
  
Seeing this as his only chance for escape, Dom delivered a swift kick to Matthew's shin, and shoved him back hard so he could sprint away. Matt fell back in surprise, but quickly recovered. He'd been dealt a whole lot worse in his time, and charged after his prey.  
  
"Ooh, foreplay, you are a kinky bastard!!" he laughed and Dom looked back just in time to see he'd been caught up to. He then felt a hard kick to the back of his right thigh, which sent him crashing face first into the dirt, his hat sent rolling off his blonde head.  
  
Before he could get up, or even roll away, Matthew had leapt onto him. As suspected the other man wasn't very heavy, but years of his hard lifestyle had made him strong, and he made up what he lacked in weight with pure, brute strength, pinning the flailing blonde to the ground.  
  
Dominic tried to reach back and pull him off, but the other man was quicker and grabbed his arm, pulling it into an excruciating angle.  
  
With his free hand, Matthew grabbed onto Dominic's hair and wrenched his head back. "You want it rough; I'll give you fucking rough," he hissed into Dominic's ear, before pulling his arm tighter and then finally releasing it; only to slam Dominic's face hard back into the dirt.  
  
Next thing he knew Matt was grabbing hold of his still undone trousers and yanking them down.  
  
No, it can't be, Dominic desperately thought to himself, but the following sound of Matt undoing his own trousers brought the sudden realisation and confirmation of his situation crashing down.  
  
What had he done to deserve this? He desperately cried internally to what ever god he'd once believed in so dearly to be watching over him. What had he possibly done in his pitiful existence to earn this level of punishment and shame?  
  
But he'd killed those men, he'd let his family down, let Harold down, failed Benjamin; by not even being able to kill their murderer as he'd stood before him.  
  
Perhaps he did deserve this, this was his punishment.  
  
But still, how could he be faced with this? Something so wrong, so very very...  
  
Tears were already seeping down his face, even before he was assaulted with the first shock of scream-wrenching pain.  
  
He sobbed, openly and bitterly, into the ground, he felt as though he were being ripped in half from the inside.  
  
Any form of resistance or struggle was met with a wicked strike to the side of the head, or a bone crunching fist to the back of his ribs. In the end he just lay there, limp and unmoving, except for the sobs which shook violently through his slim frame.  
  
He felt so lost and abandoned. How could this be happening to him? Why him?!  
  
 _Why, why, why, why, why, why, why..._  
  
He felt his shirt riding up as boney fingers dug into the flesh of his back, the once even, calculated hard thrusts were starting to lose their timing.  
  
All time felt as though it had stopped; all that surrounded him were the spent tears drying and caking up with mud on his cheeks, the hot, ragged breath on his back and the sharp pain in his lower region.  
  
Then it stopped, he felt wet hotness fill him inside, before his tormentor collapsed with a deep groan onto his back. Dominic felt unclean and soiled. Dirty and spent. Completely and utterly useless.  
  
When he felt the weight lift from his back, followed by the sounds of the other man doing up his trousers, Dominic broke.  
  
He wrenched and heaved, expelling the contents of his stomach, but was still unable to expel the disgusting feeling deep within.  
  
"Well that's pretty gross," Matthew exclaimed at the sight, brushing dirt off his trousers.  
  
Dominic just whimpered though and curled up into a ball.  
  
"Oh for God's sake, there's no reason to be such a baby about it all!" Matthew sneered and walked off to retrieve his gun, satisfied that Dominic was in no state to run off again.  
  
Lying there, cold and alone, his pants still down and the most unpleasant wetness trickling down his thighs, the full impact of it all hit him. And his first natural response to it all was to black out.  
  
"Oh, just fucking great," Matt groaned taking in the limp form before him when he returned, pistol firmly holstered.  
  
The noises of battle had long since ceased and he'd even heard his men calling out for him. With a deep sigh, he stooped down and yanked the blonde's pants back in place, before managing (just) to heave him over his shoulder. "Good thing your just fucking light enough..."  
  
  
                                                                                                        ***  
  
  
"Sir, you're alright!" one of his men greeted, running up to help him with his load. "But who's this? He doesn't look like one of ours..."  
  
"Him? He's Dominic, why don't you go and put him over one of the horses?" Matt replied simply, straightening his back out with a satisfying crack. Dominic hadn't been that light after all.  
  
"Matthew, you're okay!" Christopher called, as he saw his friend approach.  
  
"Well of course I am. How is everyone else? Is Tom okay?"  
  
"Tom...well he got injured, but it's only a minor flesh wound so he'll be fine in no time. In total we lost six men though..."  
  
"A flesh wound you say...hmmm..."  
  
"Did you not hear me though? We lost _six!_ "  
  
"Yes, I did, Chris, and that's okay, we'll easily find more to take their place. We're always bound to loose a few," Matt said, casually surveying the bloody scene before him. "Well best we be off then, we can't stay here anymore."  
  
"But, sir, what about our dead?" the man that had taken Dominic asked, returning to Matthew's side.  
  
"Take whatever supplies we may need from them and then leave them. The authorities should show up sooner or later, and if not? Well then more for the buzzards and coyotes to eat. Such is the way of life, no?" Matt replied with an indifferent shrug, before walking off towards the horses.  
  
Chris, now used to Matt's ways and well aware of what had to be done, just sighed and followed suit.  
  
"I also trust," Matt called back. "That the men have gathered up all our things already, as well as anything of value from the dead."  
  
"Naturally," Chris replied and with one final glance at the carnage behind them, he went to mount his trusty steed alongside Matthew.


	6. Chapter 6

"Wake up, get your arse up if you wanna still get breakfast!"  
  
No reply.  
  
"Dominic!!"  
  
Dominic woke with a sudden, sharp kick to the side; his eyes flying open and he shot up in fright, fists at the ready.  
  
"Whoa, relax there," Matthew said, laughing at the other man's battle ready state of shock, before offering him a hand. "Here, let me help you up."  
  
"GET AWAY FROM ME!! Don't _TOUCH_ me!!" Dominic yelled, flailing his hands out in defence.  
  
"Seriously?" Matthew asked pulling his hand back. "You're not over it yet?"  
  
"Of course I'm not fucking over it yet!! You fucking assaulted and, and, r-ra-raped me!!" Dominic yelled angrily, getting to his feet, not taking his eyes off the skinny brunette.  
  
"Oh God, you're such a baby. Grow a pair and get over it!" Matthew said, rolling his eyes at him.  
  
"'A baby'?! You violated me! I feel so filthy and dirty, and I'm in such pain!! I have every fucking right to be pissed off right now, in the very least!"  
  
This managed to bring a smirk to Matthew's face, and he raised an eyebrow saying, "'Filthy' you say? Ooh, I like it whe-"  
  
"DON'T you bloody well dare!! Didn't you even hear what I said?! Y-you-you're  a complete BASTARD!!" Dom yelled, shaking his hands in anger, but Matthew just laughed and shrugged, before walking off to join some of the others in the camp.  
  
'How dare he!' Dom thought angrily. He was in pain in places he'd never thought he'd have to worry about and walking was a complete nightmare! And then this, this, devil comes and offers him breakfast; after everything?!!  
  
Dominic couldn't believe it, he thought Matthew really must be one twisted son of a bitch.  
  
Just as he was thinking about how he could possibly escape (an option which seemed very unlikely, due to being surrounded by a gang of over 35 or so bandits; they'd definitely misjudged badly last night), when his stomach let out a loud growl of hunger.  
  
He hadn't properly eaten in awhile and with all the stress, he'd burnt up what little food he had eaten, and the smells coming from a nearby fire were driving his stomach to somersaults.  
  
He really needed to eat, but how could he possibly go over there and face all those men? They no doubt knew what had happened; judging by the laughter he'd heard when Matthew had gone and joined them again, plus the few that looked his way did far more, making lewd gestures or winking...  
  
He didn't like them- any of them- and he _hated_ Matthew. He wanted to be home again, away from all of this, with his family and with Benjamin alive and well at his side.  
  
What had he ever done to possibly deserve all this? To have his brother's murderer rape and kidnap him against his will?!  
  
What could he possibly do now? Make friends with his captors and hope they didn't hurt and kill him- or worse?  
  
Just then his stomach let out another loud pang of hunger. He had to risk it.  
  
Walking- well limping- he made his way to the small fire, being sure to keep his gaze away from all the other people. He only had eyes for the black pot over the fire. When he got there though, he was forced to look up at the large, bearded man before him, the man appeared to be in charge of the dishing out.  
  
"Um." His cheeks were burning, they'd no doubt heard all his ravings as well this morning...  
  
"Yeah?" the man asked, looking over at the nervous blonde. He sniffed and scratched his beard. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, uh...can I, you know, have some, please?" Dom asked, unable to look in the man's eyes anymore, choosing rather to focus on his dusty boots.  
  
"You want food?" he asked, regarding the smaller man with an impatient frown.  
  
"Y-yes, yes, please?"  
  
"Well you don't sound too sure about it, what do you think, Tom?" he asked, looking at a group of men sitting around not too far away.  
  
"Hmm...I don't know...should we give the man food?" the other man, Tom, asked in a mock serious tone, scratching his thatch of dark hair.  
  
Dom looked from the one man to the other, trying to ignore all the leers and laughter coming from the other men. Where was *he* though?  
  
Dom couldn't spot _him_ and he'd been the one to say he should get food in the first place!  
  
But of course he'd spoken too soon.  
  
"Oi, you two, quit fucking around and give him some damn food!" Matt yelled, returning from wherever he'd disappeared to, making Dom jump with fright. He didn't think he'd ever get used to hearing that voice now. Not after...  
  
"But Matt, we can't feed him!" Tom yelled. "We don't have loads and he doesn't deserve any! We should be making him dig his own grave, not helping him to our measly rations!!"  
  
"Tom's right! He was one of their leaders!! I saw him running along with that man you put down! He helped kill some of our men, and it's his fault Tom's in so much pain!" the bearded man added in defiance, pointing at Tom, who Dom only now noticed, had a bandage wrapped around his shirtless right shoulder.  
  
"He didn't kill a soul, I saw him, why do you think I let him live? And Tom, I would've thought you'd have recognised him from our run in on the train; he's no threat. Just get over it," Matt said with a dismissive shrug, as he got closer to them.  
  
A shiver ran through Dominic and all his senses were on full alert as his tormentor got nearer.  
  
"Seriously?! He'd have happily killed us all if he could! And if not taken us to be hanged! You especially, Matt; he's no doubt a bloody bounty hunter!" the bearded man said, not raising his voice, but still sounding just as powerfully scary.  
  
"That's final, Jackson! Now feed the man!" Matt said, choosing also to forgo shouting for the surprisingly intimidating sternness of his voice. As if telling off a naughty child.  
  
Jackson, not taking this too kindly, muttered something under his breath.  
  
"What was that?!" Matt demanded, glaring up at the shaggy man, only adding to Jackson's annoyance.  
  
"I said we all know why you let him live! And it wasn't because he didn't kill anyone!" he replied with a nasty sneer.  
  
Dominic felt himself blush furiously at this, his stomach knotting tightly with the awful memory. All the other men began leaning forward in anticipation of what Matt would say next, even those who'd been busy by themselves had noticed something interesting was going down.  
  
"Oh yes, then why?" Matt asked, his voice like acid.  
  
"'Cause you make no secret of it; you like to fuck men just as much as women- if not more!!" Jackson shouted back, his voice full of disgust.  
  
Dead silence.  
  
It was true, Matt wasn't about to deny it and his men pretty much knew as much; none had just ever had the courage- or been stupid enough- to say anything though.  
  
"So are you insinuating that I'm keeping him alive, just so that I can have my dirty way with him?" Matt asked point blank. Shocking most of his men.  
  
"Maybe, but only to finish what we all know you already started!!" At this point Matt lost his interest in the little 'game', his patience too was quickly fading.  
  
"Just shut the fuck up, Jackson, you have no idea what you're even talking about- not to mention that you seem to have forgotten your place."  
  
"I may be over stepping, but I'm just pointing out the truth and calling you out! It's wrong- unnatural- what you do!"  
  
"Oh, but it's fine for me to go around murdering and robbing, even raping women- yet wrong for me to have an interest in fucking men?" Matt asked, his voice now positively and terrifyingly cold. "That's fucking retarded logic!"  
  
"Well, it is wrong and unnatural!! It goes against-"  
  
Dominic stopped listening, he didn't like where the conversation was going. He'd never liked talk of such things, just the thought made him shudder- only to then also now realise what he'd been put through the previous night.  
  
No, he couldn't think about that, not now. Not ever. Instead Dominic looked around again, pulling his eyes away from the two fuming men, to glance around once more at the other men. They all looked completely absorbed by it all. All that is, except a tall, dark haired man near the edge of the group.  
  
Unlike all the others, he was just leaned against a small tree, looking completely bored with the whole thing, his hat tilted slightly over his eyes. Feeling he was being stared at though, his eyes shot up to lock with Dominic's. The dark irises regarded him and then the man, ever so slightly, nodded his head at Dominic, tilting the brim of his hat up, before turning his attention back to the ongoing fight.  
  
Just then Dominic heard a loud shot ring out, causing his head to snap back to Matt and the man named Jackson.  
  
Matt stood calmly, smoking gun in hand, before smoothly spinning it on his long index finger as he put it back into its holster. His striking blue eyes then shot up to meet Dominic's, now huge, grey ones.  
  
"The bastard needed to be put in his place, plus this way all of you can be reminded of how things run around here; let him be an example of what not to do, hmm?" he said, before looking down at his handiwork. "He was a fat fuck and waste of resources anyway- we're all better off," he added dismissively, as the tall man stepped away from the tree to come join him.  
  
"Never liked the guy myself," he said in agreement. "Now you lot, stop staring for fuck's sake and some of you need to dispose of...this."  
  
Dominic was only half aware of all the commotion and action around him. He was too busy staring, frozen with shock, at the dead man who lay only a few feet away.  
  
"Lighten up, Dom-ini _C_ , you look like you've just seen a ghost!" Matt laughed clapping Dominic on the back, the blonde shrinking with the contact.  
  
What in God's name had he ever really done to be trapped here with this, this madman, that would even shoot his own men over a little disagreement?!  
  
He had to chose; was he going to learn from the example and play to what this tyrant wanted? Or was he gonna risk his very life to make a run for it, if only to be stranded all alone in the wild planes and face eventual death anyway?


	7. Chapter 7

  
Dominic had finally managed to fall asleep, utter exhaustion taking over, when he felt two fingers tap his forehead.  
  
Two long, skinny fingers.  
  
 _No, it can't be. No, why, why why?_  
  
Dominic's heart sank, surely not again? Wasn't he bored yet?  
  
Another, harder tap.  
  
 _Pretend to be asleep. Yes, that's it, he can't honestly... No don't think, just sleep. In, out, in, out...that's it he-_  
  
Suddenly the side of Dom's face was met with a light slap.  
  
"I know you're awake," a cold voice whispered. A voice that haunted him even in the few hours he had managed sleep the past few weeks. A voice which made his blood run cold, especially when addressed by it at this hour.  
  
Dom just shut his eyes, doing his best not to move a muscle. He wouldn't be the victim even further, not yet again.  
  
Another, even harder slap smacked the side of his face, making him jump and his eyes instantly snap open involuntarily.  
  
"Hello there, Dom-ini _C_ ," Matthew grinned down at him, from his crouched position next to Dom's head. Dominic just glared back, but scrambled slowly to his feet when Matt stood up straight.  
  
He'd been through this enough by now to know fighting back was futile. Matt had even threatened the once, when Dominic had been foolish enough to down right refuse and try fight back, that if Dominic didn't just do what was told of him, he'd take him in front of all the men. From then on Dominic just did as he was made to. Broken and detached.  
  
"Come, let's go for a walk," Matthew said and motioned for Dominic to follow. He naturally did.  
  
"Such a euphemism," Dominic muttered under his breath, as he followed the bane of his existence, but Matt had obviously heard, judging by the little chuckle it had provoked from him.  
  
That annoying, high-pitched sound, not worthy of such a gentle and joyous title. The sound from him was pure evil to Dominic's ears and caused his skin to crawl and raise into #goosebumps#. Dominic had never even known it was possible to hold so much complete and utter hatred for another human being, but to call Matt Bellamy that, was in itself, a euphemism too.  
  
"Come on now, don't make me have to drag you along, you should know by now  that I will," Matt warned, impatiently jerking his head forward. Dominic instantly sped up, desperate to limit any contact with Matt to as little as possible.  
  
The two then walked in silence for awhile, Dominic's eyes fixed on the ground, glancing up every now and again to check he was still behind Matt. Never daring to pay attention to his surroundings, knowing it would only make him long more for home and a chance of escape, he tried to keep his mind blank. Matt just strolled along, completely at ease as he looked around at the wilderness around them, every so often, glancing back to check Dominic was still in line.  
  
Eventually though, Matt came to a stop. He always did.  
  
"This looks about right, doesn't it, hmm?" he asked, looking around.  
  
Dominic just stared straight back, forcing his mind to go blank. He had to stay detached and emotionless, he just had to, it was the only way he'd ever manage to get through it all.  
  
"Oh come on, Dom, this really doesn't have to be a chore you know," Matt said with a deep sigh. Why did the blonde always have to be so dramatic?  
  
"It isn't. It's abuse and assault," Dominic muttered. "And don't call me 'Dom'," he added, suddenly feeling too fed up and destroyed by his situation to care of what his loose tongue could mean for him. After all, what more could Matt do to him that he already hadn't?  
  
Death.  
  
Although tempting he just couldn't die yet. He had to exact his revenge still, and return to help his family...but still, he was tired of this now. He honestly didn't know how much more he could take. His spirit was practically dead already anyway.  
  
"Ooh, cheeky tonight I see. Well, I guess we'll be sorting that out soon enough, now won't we?" Matt grinned simply, choosing not to get angry the way he usually did when told what to do. There was just something about the blonde that constantly had him second guessing and placating his trademark foul temper.  
  
"Matt, I...please, please won't you just-"  
  
"Shut it, _Dom_ , you know I won't listen anyway and as much as I admire your moxy, it's getting pretty old," Matt stated, pulling his long fingers through his greasy, dark hair. "So why don't you just be a good little captive and start stripping already? We both already know how this is all gonna turn out, so why waste time, hmm?"  
  
"No." Fuck it, he just couldn't take anymore.  
  
"Sorry what?" Matt asked, his fingers halting in their vain attempt to tame his filthy hair. He really must wash soon he thought.  
  
"I-I said no," Dominic repeated, unable to properly meet the bandit's eyes, his greys instead focused on- of all things- Matt's tight fitting trousers.  
  
Damn, all of this was really starting to take a toll on his mental health too, not to mention the fact that he could literally no longer sit on his now constantly throbbing arse.  
  
"Oh for fuck's sake, Dom. Just strip already- heck we can even take a dip in the creek. I don't know about you, but I could definitely do with a bit of water on my skin," Matt said with an irritable sigh, as he scratched the side of his neck. "Just...let's get naked already."  
  
At this, Dominic's head perked up slightly as he regarded the other man, who was already undoing the buttons of his shirt. Matt never stripped in front of him. Ever. Even when...no Dominic would just have to ignore that. He had to keep his mind blank.  
  
"Well, what're you waiting for? It's just for a wash in the fucking creek. We can deal with the...other matters after," Matt tried to reason with a big sigh of frustration, as he dumped his old shirt on a nearby shrub.  
  
Despite it all, Dominic couldn't stop himself from taking in the other man's newly revealed, pale skin, which seemed to be illuminated by the light of the moon, which sat high in the night sky. Matt was by no means a big man, but his slight frame was hardened with wiry muscles, their definition only highlighted by the lunar lighting and for some bizarre reason Dominic found it increasingly hard to look away.  
  
"Dominic, quit staring already and get with the stripping," Matt attempted sternly, but Dominic could hear the smirk in his voice. The fucker.  
  
"Oh please, there's not much to look at anyway," Dominic retorted, his defiant mood still in full swing, but none the less he had already begun to start shedding his own garments, knowing full well there was only so much uncooperativeness Matt would stand.  
  
"Ha, well that's just 'cause my trousers are still on," he replied simply, surprisingly enjoying the back and forth with Dominic this evening.  
  
"Oh God, can't you just _keep_ them on?" Dominic couldn't help not responding, in some vague sense of hope.  
  
"Aw, but then there'd be no fun, plus I need to clean," Matthew replied, sniffing his underarm and pulling a face, letting the comment slide, before the two then kicked off their boots and began on their belts.  
  
As much as Dominic was loathe to admit it, he could really do with a good dip in the refreshing creek water, unhinged rapist in the vicinity or not.  
  
So, choosing to speed through and make a dash for the safety of the crystal-clear water, Dominic made quick work of the rest of his clothing and ran the last few steps into the creek. He only made it to knee level though, as the water was positively frigid and caused him to freeze up in place.  
  
"Goddammit, this water's glacial!" Dominic gasped, just as he heard the sound of Matt's trouser's belt clink as the bandit had obviously rid himself of those now too.  
  
"Well best you get in then, the quicker you're submerged, the quicker you'll adjust!" Matt advised, the sound of his careful steps, splashing in the water, making Dominic turn towards the approaching bandit.  
  
Before Dominic's eyes could adjust to properly take in the other man's surprisingly pale skin in the light of the moon, Matt pounced and gave him a hard shove into the absolutely freezing, dark water. Instinctively though, Dominic latched onto Matt's arms, surprising the bandit and bringing him straight in after the blonde.  
  
For a few brief seconds, there was only the sounds of night-time in the valley; ripples making their way through the pitch water, the only sign of the two men. Suddenly though, a blonde head of hair burst through the water's surface, spluttering and coughing up water, before it was shortly followed by the dark head of hair that belonged to Matt, the bandit shouting out curses about the cold water along with Dominic, as the two shook out their dripping-wet hair.  
  
When they'd calmed down a bit, Dominic nervously looked over to Matt, fearful of the brunette's reaction, even though he was glad he'd pulled him in too. He was done suffering alone.  
  
Instead of whatever other frightening response he'd expected though, Matt surprised them both, by simply bursting into hysterical laughter. His nerves shot, Dominic found himself laughing along too; whether it was from relief, fear or genuine humour though, he had no idea.  
  
"Fuck, you weren't kidding though, it's bone-shatteringly cold!" Matt finally commented, after having dipped in again so that he could push his drenched fringe back.  
  
"I warned you, yet no, you had to just go and push me in, didn't you?" Dominic grumbled, as he ran his fingers through his own wet hair.  
  
"Hey, one's just gotta get it all over and done with as fast as possible," Matt laughed, now leaning back as he allowed the water to support his weight, having begun to adjust to the temperature.  
  
"Hmm..." Dominic said in response, not quite sure how to actually properly talk to the man. There was also the constant nagging at the back of his mind of what was sure to follow their little icy dip.  
  
"So, Dom-ini _C_ , I take it you can swim?" Matt asked, as he began to paddle about, the sight of the two pale spheres of his arse, surfacing every now and then, distracting the poor blonde, who was admittedly less than eager to hold a conversation with the other man.  
  
"Obviously," was his curt response, as he tactfully moved in kind, sure to keep a good few feet of water between himself and the brunette.  
  
"Well then, why not do something other than shuffle about? You know chest depth is more than enough to splash about in," Matt pointed out, before he dove back under, his snowy arse resurfacing briefly again.  
  
Shaking his head, Dominic muttered to himself, only to nearly die of fright as he felt two cold hands dunk him under the frigid water once more, Matt's insane laughter the last thing he heard before being completely submerged. Naturally he fought back, lashing out with his limbs and managing to knock the softness of Matt's stomach with a good shove, freeing him of the bandit's hold. Spluttering once more, Dominic resurfaced to find Matt clutching at said stomach, but with a surprising smile stretched across his face.  
  
"Got me there," he grinned, before dragging his hand through the water and splashing Dominic (playfully?) in his stunned face.  
  
"Uh...?" Dominic was lost for words, while Matt simply just dived under once more with a wink at the bounty hunter. Clearly his captor truly was a deranged man, Dominic thought in complete perplexity.  
  
Next thing he felt though, was a playful pinch of his toes, before Matt resurfaced once more, spitting out creek water like a fountain. "Come on then, Dom-ini _C_. Quit being such a bore."  
  
"Have you lost your mind?!" Dominic had thought about the need to remain polite and on the madman's good side. He really had. But he just...couldn't tolerate this. The brunette's ever constant mood shifts too much for the mentally and emotionally exhausted bounty hunter. "You've kidnapped and repeatedly raped me, not to mention the fact that you're responsible for my brother's death, and now you just expect me to simply relax and _play_ with you?!"  
  
"Um...yes?" Matt responded, confused by the blonde's sudden outburst. Surely he was over all that by now? Why couldn't he just forgive and forget and have fun with him?  
  
"God, you're impossible!! Honestly, what the fuck is wrong with your logic? You must've been dropped on your head as a child, 'cause that's just not how the world works!" Dominic was beyond furious now, the anger and hurt from the past few weeks finally spilling to the surface.  
  
Surprisingly hurt by the blonde's words, Matt's features set into a hard line, as he tried to calm down the all too familiar heat of anger boiling up inside himself.  
  
"Fine, don't enjoy your swim then, like I really give a shit anyway," Matt finally responded, after taking in a deep breath. He then dove back under, to resurface a little way a way, confused by why he hadn't blown up at the blonde. What was it about the man that had him second guessing his usual procedures in dealing with people? By now he'd most likely have killed anyone else who'd dared speak to him like that.  
  
Dominic watched the other man with equal confusion, as he simply kept to himself; giving his dark hair a good rinse and no longer paying any attention to the blonde.  
  
Matt Bellamy was definitely a strange man if ever there was one, Dominic thought, as he dipped under the now soothing water, having finally acclimatised himself to its chilly temperature. He may as well try to clean himself as much as possible, before the tyrant recovered from his sulk and came back to torment him further.  
  
Good thing he did too, as it didn't take Matt too long, before he paddled slowly back over, having calmed down enough to look at the blonde again.  
  
"So you don't want to splash about in the water: noted. Well anyway, I've cleaned and I'm sure you have too, so what're we waiting for?" Matt asked, standing up properly in the water for the first time, it having drenched his hair to make it look like an inky-black mop, as he shoved it out of his crystal-blue eyes.  
  
His heart having come to an aching stop, the way it always did whenever _this_ issue came up, Dominic just gulped and looked back at the younger man with dread. "Surely not? We've just cleaned, don't you want to at least then stay clean?" the bounty hunter asked, all the confidence from earlier having left his voice, as Matt came closer and pushed back some of Dominic's blonde hair out of his own grey eyes too.  
  
"We can always just get back in before heading back to the campsite," Matt reasoned with a shrug, his voice prickling Dominic's already chilled, tan skin.  
  
"B-but, but, wh-" Dominic was desperate, but the words just weren't coming anymore now though. He knew deep down that nothing he said could save him though, it never had in the past.  
  
"Oh, come on, Dominic, for God's sake. It really doesn't have to be so bad, really, it can feel so good, you just have to let go. Let me show you?" Matt tried, his right hand running over the blonde's tanned shoulder, hoping to encourage, but only re-sparking what Dominic couldn't himself.  
  
"'Good'?! Since when has rape _ever_ felt 'good'?! Don't fuck with me, Bellamy. Granted you want to fuck me, just don't you even dare begin to tell me shit like that. I don't _want_ it to feel good. It never _will_ feel good. So just stop fucking about and get it over with, there's no need for all this pathetic attempt at 'foreplay'. I'm not an idiot, Matthew. I know my place, so you, as the rapist in the situation, should play your part too. Don't even begin to insult me with this falseness!" When Dominic finished to take a deep breath in, his throat aching and his now clenched fists shaking so much with pure, unadulterated fury, Matthew just stared back, the slight twitch in his face the only sign he'd registered Dominic's rant.  
  
"Seriously, Dom, it doesn't have to be like this, it can feel _good_ for the both of us, you just have to stop being such an uptight little prude," was Matt's eventual response, still determined to prove a point, but the blonde was having none of it.  
  
"Okay, fine then! Fuck me already, why don't you show me how 'good' it can feel! We don't even have to get out of the fucking creek!! Sexual intercourse, the joining of two bodies, or whatever other euphemism you wish to give it, it'll still be rape! But who cares, you certainly don't, as long as you get some. So why dance around it?! And I've already told you not to call me 'Dom'!" Dominic demanded. "Why don't you just  go and fucking take me now already?!!" he yelled, not giving a shit if his voice carried back to the camp, as he waded the short distance to the bank and gripped it, shoving his- much abused- arse in the air for Matt to see. "What are you waiting for? Oh great and ruthless Matt Bellamy, infamous bandit of the West, who has to make death threats to get anyone to pay him any attention!!"  
  
Now that the words were just coming, Dominic couldn't get them to stop, they just kept on pouring from his mouth, as he glared over his shoulder at the man who stood stock-still in waist-deep water, that twitch in his face his only movement.  
  
All the hurt; from his loss and ill-treatment, the pain and humiliation, just kept Dominic firing insults out, as his eyes began to bleed hot tears, the streaks running down his freezing-cold face. The once tolerable water was now back to freezing his blood with its frosty touch, even though it only came halfway up his calves now. It was the water that made him shake and his teeth chatter. Just the water, he told himself.  
  
Matt made no attempt at movement though and just remained in his standing position, which for some reason only seemed to enrage the blonde further.  
  
"What are you doing just standing there, why don't you make your move already?! Or do you not know what to do when someone's actually asking for it?!" Dominic spat, ignoring his tears, even though his left hand briefly came to wipe at his nose. "God, I can only imagine the pathetic childhood you had, 'cause that's what's made you like this. It's always then that shapes who we become as adults, and looking at you now? Fuck, I can't even begin to imagine what turned you into the sick bastard you are now!"  
  
It was round about this point, that Dominic heard the splash of water once more, causing him to tense up in preparation for what Matt would do to him. But when he realised the sound was moving in the opposite direction, he turned to see the back of Matt's wiry body, its paleness contrasting so much with their dark surroundings, as he climbed out of the creek. His back still to the bounty hunter, he then began to pull on his discarded trousers, followed by his shirt and boots, not even bothering to let his body dry of the water, which still clung in icy droplets to his skin.  
  
"Where are you going? You haven't even achieved your main goal yet!" Dominic shouted after him, but Matt just shrugged it off, paying the insult no attention.  
  
"You can bathe a bit longer if you wish, I'm heading back, just don't even think about running away though. If you're not back by the hour, I'll send men after you," he simply stated, turning to face the blonde at last. "And trust me when I say there won't be the possibility of anything 'good' as your reward once you're caught, 'cause believe me; you _will_ be caught."  
  
And just like that, Dominic was left staring after the other man as he walked back to camp, his hands firmly thrust into the pockets of his tight trousers, a strange cocktail of mixed emotions circulating through Dominic, as he now too got out of the frigid creek to change himself.  
  
What in the name of the good Lord had ever gotten him into this mess, it had definitely reached a new peek. One which Dominic just knew could only end off worse than this had all started, which considering how it had all started, sent an awful foreboding seeping through him to his very bones.  
  
His body reunited once more with his less than squeaky-clean clothes, he eventually headed back to camp, the strange feeling hanging over him like a rain cloud, as he returned to once again attempt a measly night's sleep. Anything to help soothe the dread he now had for the coming day.


	8. Chapter 8

He was of course punished for his outburst.

Dominic had been expecting it all along, knowing that it was just a matter of time until Matt paid him back and made him sorry for his actions.

He only had to wait until the next evening...

The group was still staying at the same camp, but Dominic had spent the entire day alone, not a soul approaching or talking to him. Matt hadn't even looked his way, the bandit clearly intent on continuing his sulk, while the others were too nervous to even speak to Dominic, after what Matt had done to Jackson, besides, it was no secret that they disliked him and thought he should just be done away with. They 'didn't need another mouth to feed' and someone who was completely useless to their cause, if anything, they thought Dominic only made life more complicated and risked their survival even more. It was only Matt who was intent on keeping him around.

At least, he had been intent on it. Dominic wasn't so sure now, he'd clearly hit a sensitive nerve of the bandit's and was now left completely uncertain of his future, not that he'd been too certain before, mind.

Dominic had been lying on his designated sleeping place, unable to sleep, his mind a hurricane of emotions and fears and concerns for his family as well as himself, when the time came for what he'd been dreading and anticipating all day.

Instead of the taps to his face, which in comparison now felt sweet and tender, Dominic was startled out of his troubled thoughts and back to his even more troubled reality, by a swift kick to the back of his ribs.

Before he could even think of crying out in pain, something he knew not to do anyway due to all the men sleeping not too far from him, Matt's long, bony fingers dug into the skin at the back of his neck and shirt and hauled him to his feet.

"Move, _Dom_ , you know where to go," the words were whispered menacingly into his ear, Matt's warm breath, despite his words' iciness, sent shivers down the bounty hunter's spine.

Gulping and trying to ignore the pain flaring in his ribs - he'd be lucky if he'd gotten off with only one bruised one - and the explosion of fear in his gut, Dom did as he was ordered and began to walk forward, following the route they'd gone the night previous. The similarity of this to the first time Matt had... _attacked_ him, didn't go amiss to the terrified blond, who kept on with his march.

He already knew it was pointless to run, to fight back, even unarmed, Matt wasn't someone to underestimate, besides where could he run to? He didn't have a clue where the fuck they were and Matt would be sure to be after him, his men just as eager to prevent his escape (survival), not wanting him to leak their location.

This walk down to the creek was startlingly different from the night before's, Matt continued to walk behind him, kicking the backs of Dominic's heels or shins when he thought he was going too slowly, causing the blond to stumble and even fall at one stage, only to be kicked again and told to 'get the fuck up'.

Through the journey Dom bit his lip, making the wise decision not to say a word, almost certain that it would be met with even more pain than the pain which he was sure was soon to be upon him shortly.

He of course wasn't mistaken.

Matt was absolutely brutal, more so than ever. After they'd come to a descent enough place, decided upon by Matt, Dominic was made to strip, as usual, and to get on his hands and knees. Completely detached and so desensitised to the embarrassment, Dominic just did as he was told and braced himself for what was to come.

The sound of Matt's belt being undone, along with his trousers, sent that familiar, icy creeping sensation up Dominic's spine as he remained in his position, just wishing he could remove himself completely from the situation. He was a broken man, but that didn't prevent him from feeling the pain.

And Matt didn't fail to deliver it. Dominic could only gasp out when the enviable came, the other man instantly picking up a rough and unforgiving pace to his unprepared and unwilling body.

When the tears began leaking from his washed-out grey eyes, he could only blink them away as best he could, and when the pain of feeling he was being split in two got to be too much and he needed to scream or cry out, he simply bit down harder on his bottom lip, ignoring the blood he drew. He would not give Matt the satisfaction, he would not show the weakness he felt inside. He would simply be and take what he was given; now just a ragdoll. Void of emotion and reaction. Let Matt do as he pleased; no matter what he did, Dominic's fate was sealed. No cry or prayer could save him. So what was the point?

When Matt heard no sob or cry from the man beneath him, though, his temper seemed to only flare and so he increased his pace and power, frustrated by the lack of any kind of response.

When this still proved to gain no reaction from the blond, he viciously grabbed a fistful of his hair and wrenched his head back.

Instead of angered and defiant steel-coloured eyes, he saw only their now washed-out state of utter submission and defeat; two things Matt never thought he'd be displeased to see from anyone.

He'd so obviously broken the man, but then where had the previous evening's spirit and scorn disappeared to, how could it abandon the other man so easily?

Yet, despite his anger-filled outburst the night previous, Dominic showed no intention of being defiant in any way. All Matt could make out from his void and tear-streaked face, was acceptance and utter submission. Dominic having actually resigned himself to this fate.

It was the hollowness he saw in the blond's, usually very alive and vibrant, grey eyes looking blankly at him - through him - that finally did it. The image actually managing to strike something which had remained undisturbed and buried very deeply within his consciousness for such  a long time.

He shoved Dominic's head back forward, before doing the same with his body, the bandit pulling out to stumble backwards.

His chest and throat were suddenly clenching tightly, warningly, breathing becoming more difficult, in a way he could hardly remember from its almost daily presence in his early youth.

Dominic simply remained in the flattened heap he'd been pushed into, pathetically awaiting what else the other man had in store for him, if not rape. He was now just that ragdoll. All autonomy and his spirit for fighting back snuffed out.

Matt, though, could feel his heart rate still thudding quickly in his chest, picking up its pace, despite the fact that he was no longer exerting himself, his breathing accelerated, yet was shallow and ineffective; the tightening in his throat and chest making things all the more difficult.

Staggering backwards, Matt fell onto his own hands and knees as he gasped for breath, his vision swimming and head spinning from lack of oxygen, while his heart still raced.

_What the hell..._

Hearing the panicked, sharp gasps coming from the other man, Dominic picked himself up to kneel, as he turned to look at what was going on, his senses instantly kicking back in when he took in the sight before him.

Matt Bellamy, the infamous, ruthless bandit himself, was curled over in on himself, pants down around his thighs as he choked and gasped desperately at nothing, his wheezing short and sharp and eyes unfocused as they began to leak what Dominic couldn't quite believe were actual tears.

"M-Matt?" the bounty hunter asked cautiously, confused and admittedly frightened by Matt's sudden turn.

Could he really be having a... No, not Matt. Not twisted and deranged, yet untouchable Matt Bellamy.

But of course he was, Dominic had seen enough from his little brother Benjamin growing up, to recognise what the bandit was going through. It was just shocking and completely unexpected to see Matt, someone who always showed his tough side and came across as ruthlessly invincible, so helpless and a victim to something like a panic attack.

What had set him off though? Dominic wondered, still aghast as he watched the other man turning pink in the face as he struggled for breath and consciousness, hands scrabbling at his throat, nails leaving angry, red scratches on his pale skin, ripping off some of the first buttons on his shirt as he even tore desperately at his chest with his nails.

Nothing out of the ordinary had happened this evening, considering what had _become_ their ordinary. Why should Matt be having a panic attack? If anyone, Dom was the one entitled to one.

Seeing that Matt was going from pink to blue, his gasping turning to spluttering as he only succeeded in working himself up even more and so depriving his lungs of even more oxygen, Dominic realised he had a decision on his hands.

He could help Matt, his rapist, tormentor and the murderer of the very person he'd had to learn how to deal with such attacks for, in order to help him when they were growing up, or he could leave Matt to his fate: passing out or worse, either way allowing Dominic the gap to make a run for it.

How he wished he could be free of this seemingly endless torture of both the physical and psychological, this captivity and treatment which made him feel as though he lost more and more of himself every day in his attempts to survive and fight the will to simply roll over and die. The urge to just give up on life increasing with every rise and setting of the sun in which he remained the captive of this dreadful maniac. He hated Matt Bellamy more than anyone or anything he'd ever had to cross in his entire life. The man was his own personal devil, sent to no doubt drag him down to hell with him, or at least make earth as much like it as possible.

Yet he was also the only reason why Dominic had been allowed to live so long.

Without him, the blond's options looked positively even more dismal. If he were to make a run for it into the wilderness, he'd surely get lost and undoubtedly lose his life, either to thirst, hunger or exposure in the blazing sun or what else lay in wait out there in the vast nothingness. He was without any supplies or form of defense, not to mention in no proper condition to even vaguely stand a chance at survival on his own. He couldn't just go back to the rest of Mad Matt's gang either, not only would they no doubt blame him for their leader's resulting state, but there was also the fact that the crazy fucker before him was the only thing standing in the way of them putting him down. They all resented his presence and would never trust him.

There was, in the end, only really one option for him then, Dominic concluded resentfully. He couldn't stand the man and had never even thought it possible to hate another human being as much as he did Matt Bellamy, but he needed him alive.

At least for now.

All this raced through Dominic's mind in a matter of seconds and, decision made, he resigned himself to following through with it.

Time not really a luxury, as the bandit wheezed and gasped away, body convulsing, starting to lose the struggle as Matt seemed to just continue to freak the fuck out and not attempt any form of coping mechanism to deal with what was indeed a rather serious panic attack, Dominic still grabbed his trousers and pulled them on first. The bastard could wait a bit longer, he was not about to remain nude in this man's presence for a second longer - him choking or not - if he could help it.

Trousers pulled on and hastily done up, Dominic reluctantly made his way over to Matt, who's lips had turned blue and face a deathly pale, eyes leaking slowly and face screwed up as he choked and gaped helplessly like a fish out of water.

Steeling himself, Dominic then crouched down beside the other man, who's slight size was suddenly more apparent in his helpless state of vulnerability. The blond still in disbelief of the fact that he was actually witnessing this.

He needed to push all past grievances aside, at least for the time being, so that he could actually bring himself to help the other man.

"Matt? Matt, try calm down, you're working yourself into this, try relax. Breathe in slowly, deeply, you actually need to take in some air. Follow my lead," Dominic attempted in as soothing a voice as he could muster, awkwardly reaching out a hand to put on Matt's hunched shoulder. Even with the interference of his shirt, Dominic could feel that the smaller man's skin was very cool and clammy.

Matt's blue eyes were wide and unfocused and his body was actually now trembling, but Dom somehow still managed to get through to him and he attempted to - for once - actually follow instruction and try breathe in slower and deeper. He just ended up coughing and gasping more, though, his clammy hands grasping onto Dominic desperately. Panic the only thing decipherable in those wide and wild, unfocused eyes of his, a sheen of perspiration having broken out across his face.

Instinct from his past experiences with helping Benjamin took over then, Dominic using his hand to brush the, now matted, fringe of Matt's dark hair off of his damp forehead, as he repeated his instruction for bandit to follow his lead. "Breathe in," he begun, breathing in deeply himself so as to lead the smaller man. "Breathe out... Breathe in... Breathe out..."

Slowly Matt struggled into the same rhythm, his lungs finally beginning to open and trembling body loosening a bit from the tightly hunched state he'd worked himself into. Dominic even started to also rub soothing circles into his back, to ease the tensed up muscles, as he kept guiding Matt through the breathing exercise.

Even when Dominic was confident enough that Matt had re-established a normal breathing pattern, his lips and face gaining back some of their colour, he still continued to rub the smaller man's back, unsure of what else to do with himself. A line had clearly been crossed and there was no way of knowing how the unpredictable lunatic, that he was, would react once he fully recovered.

There was also still the question as to what had even set him off in the first place. For an adult to have such a serious attack... Clearly Matt was no stranger to them, despite the way he'd reacted. Dominic shuddered to think what could be the cause. Benjamin's had been a product of his asthma; panic brought about when he couldn't breathe properly, but even Ben's attacks had slowly ebbed and left him as he'd grown older, becoming less frequent and pretty much disappearing all together. Something had clearly triggered Matt to go off and somehow Dominic highly doubted it had anything to do with asthma.

His mind having wandered a bit, Dominic blinked to find Matt now curled in on himself, his breathing pattern re-established and heart rate normal. Otherwise, though, nothing else was normal about the other man. At least, definitely not his sort of normal. He was holding onto himself in the fetal position, the whimpering and sniffing coming from him clearly alluded to the fact that he was actually now weeping.

Big Bad Mad Matt Bellamy crying?! Now this was certainly yet another startling thing for Dominic to lay witness too, the other man never cried. Ever. At least he hadn't done so for several years. Definitely not since having been forced to grow up at an early age.

"M-Matt? Are you okay, you can breathe now, right?" Dominic asked awkwardly, completely clueless of how to act toward Matt in the current situation.

He just gaspingly nodded, sobs wracking through his slight body. He was still reeling with the after affects of his panic attack and its onset and his body not knowing any other way to cope with it all, had just broken down and resorted to one of the most basic human responses.

He was angry at himself and humiliated with having Dominic witness to such a reaction and display of utter vulnerability and weakness, but more than that, he was still haunted by what had set him off. The look in Dominic's eyes and the absolute breakdown of his soul - the flashback and reminder of how he himself felt he had lost his own.

Not really sure of what to do, Dominic just sat down and attempted to make a polite attempt to look away from Matt's little breakdown, but found himself unable to actually avert his eyes. The morbid fascination of what was going on and the other man's uncharacteristic display, keeping his attention completely, as he waited for Matthew to recover from his new fit. A fit which Dominic thought best to leave him to see through himself. His life, this time, unlike his dignity and reputation, was not slipping from him like the tears streaming down his face.

Anyway, Dominic thought, he owed the man nothing. If anything, his captor was now indebted to him...


	9. Chapter 9

When Matt's pathetic sobs began to calm down and run dry, he uncurled himself and went limp where he lay, in the dirt like some kind of animal. Too damn curious and tired of simply looking on, Dominic crept closer again, now wearing the rest of his clothing, as he crouched by Matt's side.

"You okay?" he risked, Matt staring glassily past him, eyes red-rimmed and dried tears streaking down his cheeks.

For a while it seemed he wouldn't answer, Dominic starting to wonder what the hell he was now supposed to do, when those shiny, wet blues finally focused and on Dominic's bent over form.

"Y-yes," was all the bandit said, slowly coming back to his senses. Realising his trousers were still awkwardly slung around his thighs he gave Dominic a look which just dared him to make a comment, as Matt pulled them back up and tucked himself in, before shakily getting to his feet.

Stumbling, he made his way toward the creek, dropping to his knees again when he reached the bank, he cupped his hands and used them to splash the cold water over his face, to wash away the dried mess of tears, snot and dirt.

When even his fringe was dripping wet, along with the front of his shirt, he finally stopped, to simply just stare at his reflection, lit up by the moon hanging brightly in the otherwise pitch, cloudy night sky.

It wasn't the first time he didn't like who he saw looking back at him, but it was the first time he truly saw himself for the monster he had become. He saw himself having turned into _him_ , at last. It had perhaps always been a matter of time anyway.

Still completely perplexed by the other man's strange behaviour, Dominic approached Matt's still figure, the bandit seeing his reflection join his own.

"What was that about?" the blond dared to ask, as he moved to crouch beside Matt.

Matt didn’t know why, but when he turned to look back at the blond and away from his hated reflection, he just felt like wanting to let it all spill forth from him to Dominic, leaving him to suspect this fact was due to his still shaken state.

“Panic attack,” he explained, his voice sounding foreign and raspy from his attack, causing him to drop his head, shame seeping and pooling inside of him.

“I know that,” Dominic nodded, still feeling even more uneasy than usual around this new, strange Matt he was being exposed to. “But what brought it on?”

Dominic knew he was treading on some mightily thin ice in risking continuing to probe, allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, especially with someone as volatile and unpredictable as Matt was. But could he really be blamed for wanting to know more? To get a better understanding on what made the man before him tick? With this new development Matt suddenly seemed far more human than he had ever before.

Watery, red-rimmed eyes briefly swept up to regard the bounty hunter, before Matt let out a ragged sigh. “It started happening when I was a child. Used to get them often, but they started ebbing. Haven’t had one – especially that intense – in years.”

After having said this, Matt couldn’t help from frowning. Why was he even telling the stupid blond all this? What was it about the other man that always had him second-guessing and surprising himself.

“Oh? Hmm, do you know what brings them on though? My brother, Benjamin, he used to get them – especially as a kid – due to him having asthma. Not being able to breathe used to set him off,” Dominic continued, hoping that if he shared a bit that he’d encourage Matt to do the same. He also thought that showing he could relate a bit to other man might help him in the future.

He didn’t know when psychopathic Mad Matt would pitch again, and having information like this could prove useful in perhaps trying to appeal to the other man’s humanity. It was funny, in a way, Dominic couldn’t help think, that before the other man’s episode, he’d even doubted Matt had any humanity in him. Of course he was still sceptical, but less so now than before.

If anything, his comments the previous night may just as well have been answered. The other man must certainly have had a fucked up childhood. Matt’s little display had certainly alluded to some serious issues, ones which Dominic highly doubted had anything to do with having asthma.

“Panic. Panic brings them on,” Matt murmured, eyes now trained on the way his hands still trembled, even when he spread them on his thighs in an attempt to ground them.

“Well, yes, but…” Sighing, Dominic tried to think of a way in which he could get more from Matt. What had possibly happened to the man to turn him into the monster he’d become? “What brings on the panic though? If it clearly does date back to your youth, then what ever did happen to you, Matt? Keeping whatever it is bottled inside yourself is clearly not helping.”

Matt’s head instantly spun so he could glare Dominic down, the blond shrinking under the penetrating stare of anger, feeling like an idiot for having dared over step himself, now, he thought with a sinking in his gut, Matt would flip again and kick him right back into his place as the brunet’s captive. No doubt taking out all those bottled up emotions on him even more severely than before.

But, to both of their surprise, Matt just shook his head in annoyance and took a deep breath in. Perhaps there was a chance that what the brash blond had said was true and that he would be better off for it if he had someone else to bear his load. Either way, he thought, beating the shit out of the man would hardly win him any favours with him; and if not Dominic, who else did Matt have to talk to? None of his men were certainly into such stupid girly things, as sharing ones emotions and traumatic memories. A man kept that to himself.

So, dark brows furrowed in a mixture of annoyance and disbelief at the evident sway the other man had over him, Matt laid himself bare, but with the thought of course, that if the blond would ever use any of this against him, that he’d make sure Dominic never drew another breath again. Similarly, if he took pity on him, there’d be blood too.

“It most likely won’t shock you to know that I’m a bastard. The fact that I come from a fairly well off family may though. My father owned a good deal of land and was a successful farmer. I don’t know much about my mother, only that she was a young immigrant from somewhere in Europe. She helped work at my father’s farm, which is I suppose where she caught his eye.”

Matt subconsciously looked back at Dominic then, this time his expression completely unreadable. When the bounty hunter nodded for him to continue, Matt found himself doing exactly so, still rather bewildered that he was actually telling Dominic all of this.

“Of course my father’s wife, Margret, hated her – for he was already married when the two met – but she had no say in the matter; so even before I was born I already had an enemy. My father must have truly been in love with my mother, for when she died in childbirth – I was even born a killer – he spent the rest of his life blaming me for it, turning all that love for her into something completely different for me; creating yet another enemy in my life.

He’d had another child though, Mary, with his wife Margret, several years before me. Mary was a godsend, for unlike her mother, she didn’t blame me for the sins of my parents. When our father drank – for that was his answer to the loss of my mother – he got violent, not to say that he was much pleasant sober either, she’d run off with me and we’d play in the lands. But the times when she wasn’t quick enough, he beat me. I don’t quite know when it started, but it went back pretty much as far as I can remember. The attacks started pretty soon after that then. They usually only made him more mad though, they were proof that there was something even more wrong with me.”

Dominic couldn’t help the way his eyes widened at this gained knowledge, his worst suspicions as to what had caused the panic attacks apparently confirmed. Matt just continued with his story though, eyes trained at his shaky hands once more, determined to just get it all out.

“He’d also often say it was my eyes, that they were part of the problem,” Matt explained, shutting those very eyes as he said it, hiding their sapphire like quality from Dominic’s own pair of searching grey ones.“Sometimes he’d pull me into his arms and sob, because my eyes reminded him of her. Sometimes he’d beat me out of anger, because my eyes reminded him of her. Poor, sweet Mary once tried to stop him, he’d triggered a nasty attack – they always used to scare her – but then she too felt the brunt of his anger. The next day he apologised and begged her forgiveness. He never once said sorry to me.

He tried to stop drinking then and moved to trying to just ignore my presence much like Margret did. Things weren’t peaceful for long though, Mary fell sick and the fever killed her. My father started drinking and beating me again with a vengeance; this time it was worse. The beatings and the attacks. Margret would just watch on, never once did she say a thing, and when he was done – usually I’d pass out due to either the attack or being knocked out – she’d just leave me there.

With the amount of liquor he drank, it was small wonder he died when I was about ten. Not a day later and Margret dumped me at an orphanage, with the clothes I had on my back, the only thing to my name. The kids there weren’t much better than my father in terms of violence, both with words and actions, so I quickly learned to defend myself. I won’t bore you with the details of my time there, only that the attacks didn’t get much better – and if anything only led the kids to want to trigger them – but then I met Chris and Tom and things got a little better; for three can fight better than one. We’d all long since learnt that fear was the only way to earn respect.

We used to talk about how we’d take the world on and be feared by all. The first thing I did when we got out was pay my old home and Margret a visit. I put a bullet right between the old bitch’s eyes, but only after she knew who I was. That was then the first farmhouse we ransacked and burnt to the ground. The attacks at that point had all but disappeared, until now it would seem…”

As Matt then faded off into silence, his story told, Dominic had no idea what to say in response. It was all quite a lot to take in, especially then as the bounty hunter was forced to admit it was small wonder Matt had become the man he was, after a childhood like that. He was sadistic and cruel for it was all he truly knew.

“I didn’t beat you though – if anything I was the one being, well, in that situation – so what set you off?” Dominic then asked after a couple minutes of silence, his curiosity back at full force.

“The look on your face, in your eyes… I felt like I could see myself becoming my father in them.” And yet again, Matt felt astonished and confused as to why he’d answered the other man.

“Oh…” Now he truly was lost for words. Perhaps there really was some humanity left in Matt after all, however little was left of it.

Matt just sniffed a bit, attention going back to his trembling, which was finally seeming to subside. He felt a mess, still all shook up from his episode. He also felt ashamed and humiliated that Dominic had laid witness to him in literally the most vulnerable position possible; trousers down around his legs and with no control over his own body.

“You feeling a bit better?” Dominic could have cursed himself, why the fuck had he asked? What did he care how the murderous rapist felt? He hated Matt, sure he’d had a rough time of it growing up, but that hardly justified the way he behaved.

If anything, he should have more empathy than he did, he’d once been a victim himself, so how could he justify the fact that he brought that pain and suffering to others now?

When Dominic’s mind snapped out of his deep thoughts, he suddenly realised that Matt was staring back at him in what appeared to be shock. This evening truly was a strange one, up until tonight, the only real emotion he’d even seen Matt’s usually stone-cold façade give way to was anger.

“What?” Dominic asked carefully, uncertain of what to expect from the madman beside him.

“Nothin’… I’m feeling, uh, a bit better… Thank you,” Matt replied, and the bounty hunter could have sworn he saw a little colour flush the bandit’s sharp cheekbones, before he ducked down to look at the lazy flow of the water in front of them.

Had Matt Bellamy, big, nasty bandit he was, just thanked him and proceed to blush? Dominic shook his head; tonight was definitely messing with him, what a mindfuck…

***

The next day had seemed to go pretty standardly for what Dominic had come to adjust to, in this way of life amongst the gang of criminal degenerates on the run. Matt was acting like himself again and Dominic did well to keep out of his way.

He, however, couldn’t help looking on at the way Matt seemed to interact with Tom and Chris, now knowing that the two had been with Matthew from a young age. It now made sense why the two were ranked just below him in the gang, the way he treated them (and they him) markedly different from how he handled the rest.

They were clearly the only ones whose word he truly listened to – well as well as he could – and they were the only ones who dared question some of his decisions. That day, Chris was headed out with a group to go get supplies and fresh news from a nearby town, while Tom was off with another to do the daily recons around the territory they’d all set up camp at. Matt, uncharacteristically, as he was a very hands-on kind of leader, had opted to instead stay at basecamp.

Dominic couldn’t help but worry this had something to do with him, like Matt wanted to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn’t blab to anyone about what he’d shared with him the previous night. Of course Dominic didn’t (and wouldn’t) do such a thing, and he couldn’t help but at least feel a little offended by the fact that the brunet would really think so poorly of him.

Dominic wasn’t an idiot; he wanted to live.

At least so that he could exact his revenge and return to look after his remaining family members and their troubled farm. Heck, for all he knew the farm had already been taken by now. He just hoped his family was okay and that the money troubles were easing some, but without him and Benjamin, he knew that was probably most likely not the case.

So Dominic tried to keep his mind busy and away from thoughts of his family and Matt by tending to the remaining horses. He’d always loved horses and he knew it wasn’t these ones fault that they were owned by such awful people. So he spent the day brushing and caring for them, sometimes knowingly to him and others not, Matt’s eyes would stray to watch him as he did.

That night, when Dominic once more felt the tap of two fingers against his forehead, he almost felt his stomach drop through the floor. He’d thought – hoped – that after the previous night’s conversation Matt might stop with his nighttime visits. At least for a little while. But no, apparently he was right back at it, clearly determined to show Dominic that nothing had changed.

When he’d then opened his eyes he’d been met with a flash of a smile, before Matt surprisingly assisted him to his feet, before he’d been led off, back down that now familiar trail along the snaking creek.

When they reached a rocky outcrop, Matt halted and turned around to look back at Dominic, whose defeated and hopeless expression caught Matt completely by surprise, the smile he’d had on his face instantly fading.

“What’s the matter, Dominic?” he asked, concerned and even using the correct form of the blond’s name for once. He wanted the other man to be in a good, receptive mood, he’d tried hard all day to make sure he was. He’d left him alone to be with the horses, as this was an activity Dominic clearly enjoyed, he’d then also made sure to wake him gently this time and let the other man walk at his own pace. He’d done all these nice things for him, so couldn’t understand for the life of him why Dominic looked anything but.

Dominic just looked back at Matt with a raised eyebrow, what the hell did he think was wrong? Did he think that because Dom now knew his sob story he’d be okay with being bent over and fucked like some animal? The brunet really was a true psychotically fucked up puzzle of a man.

Still confused as to Dominic’s, at least in Matt’s eyes, odd behavior, for he was sure they’d crossed over some sort of boundary the previous night and begun to build a so called proverbial bridge, he gestured that the bounty hunter follow after him, as he then proceeded to scrabbled up some of the rocks, up towards a fairly large, flat one.

More than a little concerned with what exactly Matt had in store for him up atop that large rock the brunet was climbing up onto, but also knowing the consequences should he not comply, Dominic cautiously followed after the, quite frankly, unhinged bandit.

“Look at the view from up here!” Matt grinned widely at the blond when he finally managed to heave himself on top of that final, flat rock.

“Um, we’re not even that high up,” was Dominic’s response. Despite knowing he should try keep Matt in the oddly good mood he appeared to be in, he also couldn’t help his annoyance.

He really thought he’d managed to get somewhere with the other man the previous evening, but instead he’d been made to climb up onto some dumb rock where he was to no doubt be raped yet again; this time with the threatening possibility of falling off onto the rest of the lower rocks.

“Not that view, blondie, the one above us!” Matt said, seemingly unperturbed, as he tilted his head back and gazed up at the never-ending night sky above them, prompting Dominic to do the same.

As much as he hated to admit it, Dominic couldn’t deny the sight was incredible, the thousands and thousands of stars up above twinkling and glinting away was mesmerising. He only managed to look away when he was beckoned.

“Come, lie down and stargaze with me.” Matt was already lying down, head resting against his hands which were folded beneath it.

The rock, while fairly large, restricted the space so Dominic would have to lie down beside the other man, something he was loathe to do, yet knew he didn’t really have any choice but to do. So, sighing, he did just that, grateful at least that Matt had yet to make any obvious move at wanting to rape him. Yet.

When he was lying down on the cool surface of the rock, his position mirroring Matt’s, the bandit turned to grin at him quickly before shifting to look back at the stars, encouraging Dominic to do the same. The sky looked magical that evening, crystal clear, without a cloud to hinder the sparkle of the stars’ lights way up high.

“You ever do much star gazing before?” Matt suddenly asked, after several minutes of silence, the two having just watched the heavens above.

“Uh, yeah, kinda. I usually watch them before I fall asleep,” he replied, refusing the temptation to look back over at Matt, as he felt the other man’s eyes on him.

“Yeah? You know any of the constellations?” Matt asked, clearly intent on keeping up a conversation with the blond.

“Um, only the North Star really, if that counts? Use it when I’m travelling and can’t find my compass,” Dominic admitted, the obvious scrutiny of Matt’s eyes on him, even though he had yet to turn, feeling like they were burning into him.

When the other man laughed, an odd little high-pitched giggled, the temptation was too much and Dominic couldn’t resist turning his head to regard the brunet, almost as if to check that that sound had really come from him. Matt’s expression was a peaceful mask, a lazy smile pulling at his lips; the man was literally the complete opposite of who he’d been the night previous.

Dominic was honestly struggling to keep up with all these different Matt’s.

"Hmm, sure. It can. That's smart of you though, too," Matt smiled back at him, "But otherwise, do you really not know any others?"

"Um, no. I'm afraid not," Dom shook his head, before turning to look back up at the glittering sky and away from those eerily blue eyes.

“Oh, huh, well let me show you a couple. I do a lot of stargazing. Hmm, let’s start with… oh yes, look there, you see that bright star over there,” Matt pointed prompting Dominic to follow where he was indicating.

“Um, the one between those two tiny ones?” Dominic asked, just figuring it would be in his best interest to play along and placate the other man.

“Yes, that’s the one!” Matt sounded near ecstatic as he then proceeded to help Dominic visually map out the shape of the Big Dipper, seemingly taking delight in the task.

So that’s what the pair then did, Dominic finding himself suddenly subjected to a lesson in constellations by a very out of character Mad Matt. It was all incredibly surreal, lying there beside the bandit and being shown this new, yet again completely different, side to him.

And, after a couple of hours of stargazing, the brunet then simply and calmly led them back to camp, still happily prattling off about the stars that lit up their way back. He even walked Dominic all the way back to his bedroll before whispering a parting “Good night” and leaving the blond alone to his confused and bewildered puzzlement.

And that was it. Nothing more was expected or demanded of him. Dominic had gotten away with merely being subjected to an unexpected session of stargazing with the other man and no more.

As Dominic then lay down, waiting for sleep to claim him, his mind a muddle of confusion in regards to Matt’s increasingly odd behaviour, he found himself drifting off to thoughts of a small frightened and abused boy, with big, watery, blue eyes. He looked pitiful and abandoned, but those big, blue eyes seemed to still hold onto some hope. They seemed to be looking for love.


End file.
